KALAMAZOO, MI -- Heather Grisales, principal of Bloomingdale's Pullman Elementary School, is the new head of El Sol Elementary, a Kalamazoo school that features a Spanish-language immersion program.

Grisales will replace Kelly Alvarez, who resigned this month as El Sol's principla.

Grisales, who was in attendance at Thursday's Kalamazoo Public Schools Board of Education meeting, is expecting a baby in late October. The plan is that she will go leave until January, returning after the winter break.

During her absence, the school will be overseen by Fernanda Carreno, the district's coordinator of bilingual education and world languages until Nov. 11, and then by former El Sol Principal Paul Babadelis until Grisales' return.

Babadelis will also serve as a mentor to Grisales, according to KPS Superintendent Michael Rice.

In other personnel changes, the district hired seven teachers, authorized three transfers of support personnel, and accepted the resignation of 13 employees, including nine teachers.

Other departures are Jean DeWaters, a central administration secretary; Sherena Smith, a food service at Woods Edge Learning Center, and Alexander Viches, bilingual home school liaison. DeWaters retired and the other two resigned.